Carving sculptures in stone, whilst living in Derbyshire seems the perfect environment for me to work in, being surrounded by limestone gorges and fossils. I have been working as a sculptor for the last 20 years. I am passionate about carving in stone and usually take my inspiration from the stone itself. That is why I often start by picking random pieces of stone in the quarry which may suggest a form to me. I may have an initial idea, but my way of carving directly onto the stone means that I can respond to the stone itself in the process. In this way I feel that stone carving for me is a dialogue between the stone and myself.
My work is influenced by the idea held by some African and Indian artists that they find the spirit within the stone. I am inspired by nature, mythology, Buddhist thought and I have a desire to express a deeper sense of consciousness through my sculptures.
I feel as though I wanted to carve in stone all my life but was not brave enough to start until I went on a course at Wakefield Sculpture Park about 20 years ago now. I had worked in clay and wood but once I worked in stone there was no turning back! It became my passion.
Although largely self-taught I have studied with local artists Simon Manby (Wootton) and Andy Oldfield (Grindleford) and admire their work. I also studied for 2 years at Wolverhampton University on a Fine Art course. In 2010 I gained a post graduate certificate in Art and Design from Derby University.
